Sing Out Loud

A bird does not sing because it has an answer.  It sings because it has a song.

My life at certain points has been dictated by the insatiable need to have an answer before I take any leap.

I had a chance to take a road trip to Park City, Utah, and became enthralled not only with the breathtaking scenery of Utah’s landscape, but also the amazing talent of artists whose work graced galleries on which I visited.  Viewing the art inspired me to keep going another level with my work and not be afraid to try.

It was a good time for me to still the anxiety that sometimes plagues my daily life.  Instead of fighting that anxiety, I took in mountain air, beautiful scenery, and a way of life that is not my norm.  There was exquisite food, lush colors of purples, greens, blues that brushed the landscape, and a host of other elements that shook up the daily ritual.  I slept deeply and found myself considering my next song – words to write in my blog or a painting still not painted.

Birds are amazing creatures that come in countless varieties.  It amazes me actually how vast those varieties are.  In Utah, they dot the landscape beautifully.  They find their perch, look to the sun, and sing their song.  I don’t think they are considering whether they should sing or not.  They just do it.

I start the journey back home tomorrow.  It will be slower than the one I took coming to Utah, but that is a good thing.  I have been composing my song for a good long time, but I have kept it well in place beneath the surface, in my safe little world that others can’t touch.  On occasion, I have let that song out, only to pull it back in when doubt creeps beside it.

But a song living in the drawer of our consciousness on a bed of self-doubt is not so good tucked away.   When we find our voice and sing it out loud we can command many possibilities.  It may come with off-pitches, occasional twisted chords and a few lyrics not meant for human consumption, but occasionally, the song sounds out a beautiful melody that has us keep going for more.

If we never try, what then is our life about?  Life without a song lived out loud is no life at all.